Maryland State Police warning residents of ‘State Trooper’ phone scam

Officials with the Maryland State Police are warning the public about a telephone scam in which the caller represents himself as a barrack commander and threatens the victim with arrest if money owed is not immediately forwarded.

A victim in her 70’s from Allegany County called the Maryland State Police Rockville Barrack on Tuesday evening and reported she had received multiple calls from a man with a ‘heavy foreign’ accent. He told her that she owed $800 and would be arrested if she did not quickly forward the money. Fortunately, the woman hung up on the suspect each time.

The woman said that, when the suspect called her, the caller ID on her phone showed the number 301-424-2101, which is, in fact, the publicly listed phone number for the Maryland State Police – Rockville Barrack. The woman reported the suspect identified himself as Lt. Dan Pickett, who is, in fact, the commander of the Rockville Barrack.

Citizens are reminded that the Maryland State Police does not collect fines for traffic or criminal offenses. All fines are collected by Maryland’s court system (www.courts.state.md.us). No one in the Maryland State Police would place a call to someone and threaten arrest if a fine was not forwarded immediately to the State Police.

The Maryland State Police Criminal Enforcement Division is investigating this case of fraud and telephone misuse. Anyone who may have received similar calls from someone saying they are from the Maryland State Police is asked to contact Sergeant Heath at 410-761-5130, or by email at msp.centralsouth@maryland.gov. The State Police Criminal Enforcement Division Tips Line is 888-210-1450. Callers may remain anonymous.